Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-02-24

4
department bill was interrupted TO al
low the presentation Of message from
the President in relation 10 the Cutting
Meter IN Mexico, which was referred
to the Committee on Foreign Relations,
and the presentation of the conference
report on the pension appropriation
bill, which was agreed 90.
MIR. Morgan's amendment was agreed
TO, and the section was further amend
cd by including the force of second
heutcnants now in the service OF the
Bureau and by providing that the com
pensation nov paid 10 employs and
enlisted men shall continue as now.
MIR. Harrison inquired Of Mr.. Nor
gan what would be left OF the signal
service Of the armyif the transfer were
made.
MIR. Morgan replied that there would
be nothing left of il except the chief
brigadier-general and sixteen lieuten-
ants, who belonged to the army, but
were not assigned 20 regiments.
MIR. Harrison "Then the chief sig
nal officer and sixteen ieutenants are
not 10 be transferred ?"
Mr.. Morgan "The amendment pro.
yides that the service shall go on until
the President appoints chief Of the
Bureau.
Mr. Miller: "The transfer does not
at all affect the signal-service corps of
| the army"
Finally vote was taken on the sec
ton Transferring the weather service OF
the Signal-Service Bureau as amended,
and 1t WAS agreed to-yeas 81, nays
l5--as follows:
| NEAs-Messrs. Allison. Beck. Berry, Black
| burn, Blair, Brown, Cheney, COckrell. Coke
| Conger. Dolph, Eustis Eyarts, Fair. Frye
! George. Harris, Ingalls,, Jones Of Arkansas
| kenna, Malone, Maxey, Miller, Mitchell, Re
| gan. Mitchell of Pennsylvania, Morgan, Nor
| riD, Payne, Plumb, Pugh, Ransom, Sabn
sawyer, sherman, Van Wyck, Vest, and Wal
NAys.-Messrs. Bowen, Dawes, Rdmunds
| Haze. Hampton, Harrison, Mcmillan. MaOder-
| son. Plat, salisbury, s. ooner. Teller, Whit
thorne, Williams. aud Wilson Of lowa-15
The bill was then passed without di-
vision. and u conference was asked.
The bill creates an executive depart
ment, TO be known as the Department
Of Agriculture and Labor, with secre-
tary and assistant secretary, to be APP
pointed by the President by and with
the advice and consent Of the Senate.
The secretary is to receive the same
salary as the heads of other executive
departments, and the assistant secre-
taTy the same salary as the Assistant
Secretary of the Interior Department.
The Bureau of Labor, as now organ
lied and existing is transferred to the
Department of Agriculture. The De
partmcnt is to include the Bureau under
charge of commissioner of labor, to be
appointed by the President by and with
the advice and consent of the Senate.
This commissioner is to hold his office
four years and to receive a salary of
s. 800. He is TO collect information on
the subject of labor the rate.of wages,
hours Of labor, means of promoting the
material, social, intellectual, and moral
advancement of the men and women.
&c. The commissioner is to have
chief clerk at $4,000, and such other
employees as may be necessary. He is
to report annually 10 the Secre-
tary of Agriculture and Labor.
The Secretary is to inquire into
the causes of discomfort between
employers and employees within the
United States, and may invite and hear
sworn statements from both parties
concerning matters in controversy,
The Secretary is TO make report an
nually 10 Congress The weather SER
vice of the United States Signal-Ser-
vice Bureau is TO be transferred after
July ], 1887, to the Department Of Ag-
nCulture and Labor, and is to consist
Of one chief and the necessary subor
dinate officers and employees. The
present organization of the subordi
nate force of the Bureau, including
the second lieuteuants now i'll ser
vice, is to continue Its chief is
to he paid n salary of $500, and Is
to be appointed by the President by
and with the advice and consent of the
Senate. The compensation of en-
plOyts and enlisted men is to continue
| as now, and the present status IN the
army of the commissioned officers is
not to be considered altered or affect
ed. The chief signal officer of the
army, in addition to his strictly mill
tary duty, may be assigned to the
charge Of the Weather Bureau until the
chief of the Bureau is appointed and
confined. The Secretary of War
is to appoint board of three army Of
fccrs Cthe chief signal-Oilicer to be one)
TO make an inventory Of the property
Of the Signal-Seryice Bureau, and 20
transfer to the Department of Agrlcul-
ture such portion thereof as may be
suitable TO the Weather Bureau, the re
maindor to continue under the control
of the War Department.
The Senate then took up the pleuro-
pneumonia hill. Mr.. Mcpherson moved
10 postpone il till tomorrow and to pro-
coed to the consideration of House
Joint resolution for the investigation OF
the Pacific railroads.
TIE motion was defeated-yeas, y
nays, 81
Mr.. Evarts moved to reconsider the
vote by which the bill was passed yes
terday for the judicial determination OF
the rights of citizens OF the United
States in certain railroad lands IN Flo
rida. He was absent in attendance Oh
a committee when the bill was passed.
Some constituents of his were interested
| in those lands, and lac understood that
thor interests were not satisfactorily
guarded in the bill. The motion to re-
consider was lost-yeas, 2G nays, ~
Mr.. FRYE made nm affecting appeal to
the Senate to take up and consider the
message from the President vetoing the
bill that would allow arearages OF pen
sion to Thomas 5. Hopkins, OF the Maine
volunteers. BE described the case as
a remarkably exceptional one, and at
the conclusion of his speech the bill
WAS passed over the Presidents veto by
y vote of 50 to 6, the six nays being
Messrs. Beck, Berry, Blackburn, Coke,
| Harris, and Vance.
Adjourned.
House of Representatives.
Mr. Reagan asked the unanimous
consent for the immediate consldera-
ton of the Senate bill incorporating
tbe Atlantic and Pacific Ship Railway
| Company. Mr.. Anderson objected, and
the bill was referred to the Committee
on Commerce.
| Mr. Willis asked that the House non